How to improve attendance and polish the gameday experience.

[Schadenfreude]

There has been a whole generation of fans that only have seen dismal football played at BG.

That's a wild overstatement that misses the mark.

The pattern since the 1980s has been of feast or famine. 1982-85 (Stolz) was a hey day. The next five years (Ankney) were a disaster. The first four years of Blackney were outrageously good. The next six years the program slid into oblivion. And we have feasted these past three years.

I would guess most of the folks here caught at least one of the good years. If you were unlucky enough to attend from 1986-90 or 1995-2000, we probably lost you for good.

But six years is not a "generation."

The trick in building this program will be to maintain the momentum. Keep winning, and the crowds will continue to grow.

[Schadenfreude]

Schedule a few postgame Foghat concerts and watch thsoe turnstiles spin...

[orangeandbrown]

Dismal might be an overstatement, but I think the point is right on. Even when I was in school (class of '86), the teams were decent, but the gameday environment was nothing like it is now. The games were sparsely attended, even when the team was good, and many people left at halftime. The lights make a difference, and playing in the day partly made it less attractive. Any bad weather put us into the four digits.

Basically, there is a generation of fans who did not generate the strong feelings for Falcon football that the current generation is getting, and they are unlikely to travel back to recapture them.

[NWLB]

So really, no matter how good or bad the team was, untill recently, the gameday experience sucked.

So keep improving on what we have, and expose more and more alumni to it.

[Lord_Byron]

OK. Homecoming was the first time I'd been back to campus in about 10 years. First time I went into the new union. Based on the experience we had, we're making plans for next year, maybe not homecoming, but at least one game.

The tent city 'reunions' is a fantastic idea. There's not an alumni anywhere who couldn't find a tent that they would be part of. Heck, we even walked into a couple just because they looked interesting. People were all over us giving trinkets to the Princess.

The College of Business had a nice buffet set up, various faculty greeting us and door-prizes. It exceeded expectations.

Sure, some things could be better, but you guys who live close by, forget what it means to go back 'home'. Here's one guy who had a lump in his throat when the band played the alma mater.

[BGorDeath]

Am I prophetic or what?

http://bgsufalcons.collegesports.com/sp ... 04aae.html

Kids Day at the Game.

[Class of 61]

Odd that you should mention the bus deal for the Cleve. area alums...quite a few years ago...unfortunately... the Cleve. area Alum. assoc. sponsored a "double-header" trip to BG to see a BBall and Hockey game, with a meal in the ice arena lounge and meeting with the coaches in between the games...was a great experience...took 3 friends with me...got back late from the hockey game obviously, but we didn't have to do the driving.... Led to a funny experience on one trip...man and his son asked if I could possibly drop them off at their house, so he didn't have to wake up someone to come out to Westgate shopping center... wasn't a BG alum, had heard about the trip and got tickets. Anyway, he and his son were all decked out in GREEN, assuming that Bowling GREEN.. you get the point... Unfortunately, we played OU that day....he was a bit embarrassed. 8)
Back to the topic.... I'd LOVE to see that bus deal come back... I've even suggested it as a possible "activity" to current Clev. alum. chapter... we'll see, I guess.

[NWLB]

I have to say that the sheer number of tents was impressive. Though style of tents there made it look a bit circus like from a distence. Silly though it may sound, I think having a few carnival rides might push the kids theme over the top a bit.

What struck me the most coming back into town late that night, was how many RVs there were, still parked at the stadium. The pre-game tailgates must really be catching on for that to have occured. This year alone, I've seen folks with tailgate parties, as far away as the Moore Musical Arts Center and Perry Field House.

[TG1996]

What struck me the most coming back into town late that night, was how many RVs there were, still parked at the stadium. The pre-game tailgates must really be catching on for that to have occured. This year alone, I've seen folks with tailgate parties, as far away as the Moore Musical Arts Center and Perry Field House.

Heck, last year someone had a tent up at the cemetary!

Though I don't know why everyone was standing around wearing black...

Seriously though, I loved the tailgate atmosphere, I just wish I could have gotten there earlier in the day. One thing that I didn't like, though its probably a byproduct of having so many fans there tailgating now, is that there's too much walking involved!!! I had friends on the north end, the south end, in the tents and somewhere in the east end. How am I supposed to drink my beers with all that exercise going on?!?!

[SaxyOboist]

I'd have to agree with the "get them while they're young" idea. My parents took me to all Kent State football games when I was young (They are alum, you must forgive me!) and well, I would love to take kids if I ever have any to BG games!

As for personal experiences today, my nephews are die-hard falcon fans! They've come to every game since they day they were born and to every fieldhouse show that the FMB puts on. My oldest nephew, Nathan, constantly wants to listen to the FMB cd's all the time whenever in the car, and he especially loves our cadences. He also knows the words to Ay Ziggy Zoomba and has known them ever since I taught them to him when he was 2!

And whenever the question is asked: "Nathan, who is going to win? The Rockets or the Falcons?" he always answers "The Falcons, of course!"

Plus he refers to "Normal Bowling Green" as the campus, ie, the stadium! If we are in Bowling Green but not near the campus, he doesn't know what to call it! Plus, whenever I go home to visit for the holidays he always asks me "Are you marching? Is the marching band going to be here? Is there a football game this weekend? Am I going to see the football game?" and I always feel so bad for saying "No hon, that's next week". He gets so excited and I just can't blame him.

I love the squirt.

-=Jessica=-

[bgmaggot00]

Get them while they are young. That is the key.

I don't know you, but it sounds as if you work for Phillip Morris.....
If it works for them (we have all seen that it does), its gotta work for us too.